Kingdom Hearts: The Rewritten Journals
by C.D. Drake
Summary: What if the story was different? What If Xeheanort had a deeper reason to obtain Kingdom Hearts? What if Hades was the leader of the Disney villains? What if Sora had a bigger secret to why his heart can take in so many others? The scholar, Arazlam, leaves his home world of Ivalice to search for the truth of what really happened in the "Dark Seeker Saga".
1. A Note From Arazlam

I am Arazlam Durai, a scholar of world history. My research does not just concern the history of my world, Ivalice, but of all worlds as well. Have you ever heard of the "Keyblade War"? Many years ago, everyone lived in a golden age known as the "Age of Fairy Tales". It was called this, because much of this time's recorded history was lost and almost all that was known from it were tales of castles, enchantments, princesses, and heroes. The only surviving documents are scattered across many worlds and hidden in the farthest corners where the light touches. It wasn't easy, but I did some searching and found one such record in the libraries of Gariland.

It was a dusty old tome that was left in a vault, far below the library's main hall. It was bound in brown leather with a mother of pearl heart inserted in the front cover. When I found it, its pages were torn and some of the ink was blurred from a liquid spill, causing it to be more difficult to read. From what I could decipher from it, much of the book's contents became subjects of controversy and debate of how much of it is valid to history. This was because it contained elements that may have been embellished for storytelling and philosophical reasons. The pages tell of a time when all the worlds were one and everyone was living in an age of peace and prosperity. Much of the old kingdoms were benign to one another and trades were uninhibited with few walls in the way. For centuries, this golden age was brought through a blessing from a sacred realm, known now as "Kingdom Hearts". No one knew exactly what the realm was at the time. Its nature was left shrouded in mystery and rumor. Some say it is a well of great power, others say it is the very first heart in existence, and few say it is the remains of a bygone deity that created everything we know. Whatever it was, the people saw it as a gift that has brought happiness and wonder. It was only a matter of time that it would all end.

With everything we scholars have learned of the powers that be in this world, we know all to well that the brightest light creates the deepest shadow. Under Kingdom Heart's brilliance, those that it shined upon had the shadows of pride, avarice, envy, and lust. The potential power of the realm called to the thousands that desired it. Rumors and legends spread of how, if anybody were to obtain it, every desire in their heart would be granted and the holder would have the power of the gods. However, there was a security measure made to prevent this.

High above Mount Olympus, the gods feared the power Kingdom Hearts would give to mortal men. Zeus, the king of the gods and lord of the united worlds, commissioned his blacksmith, Hephaestus, to forge a lock and key that would prevent anybody from taking the power easily. Hephaestus made many attempts to forge the key with almost all of them being failures. Even with the powers of a god, almost all of his creations were too weak to contain the energy within the realm. So, when he forged the twenty-second key, the smith poured in all his heart, soul, blood, sweat, and tears as he worked tirelessly to make his final try. Once it was finished, he crafted a key that was strong enough to lock away Kingdom Hearts from the mortals. Different stories have been told of this "key" and each one is inconsistent on what it really is. Some say it is a gemstone or an actual key, but most say that Hephaestus crafted it into a weapon.

The stories claim it is a sword of immeasurable strength, called the Chi-Blade. In certain worlds, the letter, "Chi (X)", represents the two bands that form the souls of each world that cross each other. In others, it is the twenty-second letter in their alphabet and this was Hephaestus' twenty-second blade forged. Whatever the significance of the name, the key or Chi-Blade became a treasure that the gods would keep secret for all eternity, or so they thought.

Legends tell of the patron god of man, Prometheus, who gave mortals the gift of the gods' fire. What many people have forgotten was that there was another gift to go with it. Curious of the latent power inside the hearts of mortals, Prometheus gave man the secret to forging swords similar to the Chi-Blade that could tap into this energy and make his people more significant in the eyes of the immortals. In the glow of the fire and the clash of hammers on iron, thousands of these weapons were made and an elite class of warriors appeared. The wielders called their implements, "keyblades" for their key-shaped appearances. Using these weapons, the keyblade wielders brought the Age of Fairy Tales into a time of enlightenment and, sadly, its sudden end.

Simply having a small taste of power was enough to make the people crave more. As more knowledge of the keyblades and hearts grew, so did knowledge of the original Chi-Blade. The shadows or their greed and wantonness grew so deep, that they could no longer be held back. The promise of both the Chi-Blade and Kingdom Hearts' blessings led them to take up arms and fight. The tome and folk tales called it the "Keyblade War", which left the land where they clashed broken and scarred. Because of the chaos that was wrought as the battle raged on, the gods were furious at Prometheus, blaming his curiosity for the doom of all worlds. As punishment, he was chained to a giant stone in a far away land, where he suffers to this day in isolation and torture.

Eventually, as the war continued, all the greed, hatred, rage, and death brought an end to everyone who fought. The brilliant light that once covered the world faded away. Kingdom Hearts and the world that it provided for slipped into darkness and any further knowledge to record was lost. Beyond this book, there are only stories that keep changing with each person telling them. The most common story I have heard is that a new world was made from the last remaining glimmers of light. However it became fragmented and divided into the universe we know today.

Since then, peace had returned, but only from ignorance of the existence of other worlds and the keyblades that were once so much more common in the past. The few wielders that remained, trained and fought in secret with a new reason to exist. To keep the new world from falling into the dark again, they made a vow to protect what little light there was left and to keep peace and order between the scattered worlds. Still, there were many who were suspicious that there would be another Keyblade War and they were right.

Where and when it began exactly is not certain, but there are plenty of documents telling of how it ended. It was, in fact, recent. About a decade ago, many young men and women who wielded keyblades of their own stood up to the call of duty and faced the next threat to the light. However, no one remembers who they were or what happened to them once Kingdom Hearts returned from the dark. I have made it my mission to leave Ivalice for the outside world and seek out the truth of these heroes' true identities. Perhaps you would like to join me on my search? My journey begins at dawn. An airship will be waiting to take me to where this lost piece of history began. It is an academy, where three wielders discovered a plot that would send the worlds in turmoil once more.


	2. Ivalice and the Lanes Between

Kingdom Hearts  
The Rewritten Journals Book 1  
Birth by Sleep -Ivalice-

-Arazlam-

The sun was shining over us as we rode a small aircraft through the clouds that whisked by us. When I say "we" or "us", I mean myself, the pilot that was payed for by the university, and my student, Jenna, who I brought along to assist in my research. We were on our way to the airport in the city of Rabanastre, which has been known to be a hub for all travelers exploring Ivalice or the rest of the known worlds. The airship was a little "cramped" to say the least. In fact, I could hardly call it a ship! The glass dome the pilot calls a cockpit window made the closeness of the passenger seats very uncomfortable. The leg room wasn't too good either. My assistant kept her legs curled underneath her since her knees were pushing on her chest.

Jenna was a female viera, a humanoid with many features that one may associate with a leporine mammal, like a rabbit. Her head had long, curly silver hair that reached her ankles and sported large, furry, gray, black-tipped ears. As we sat in our cushioned passenger seats, I saw to my embarrassment that the attire that she chose that day left little to the imagination. It was a dress made of two thin sheets of silk that covered only the front and back of her torso down to her waist. What was exposed showed her darkened skin at the sides and whatever else she wore underneath. Her long legs were armor plated under shining white cuisses and greaves while wearing stilletos. I found this display disgusting for my pupil! Here we are, going on a research trip, and she decides to dress like she's going out dancing! How close she sat to me didn't make this any more comfortable either.

Sometimes I think she does this to spite me. Ever since she arrived at the university from the Feywood, she was the usual troublemaker when it came to rules of the school or hume society. I have read many books on viera and how they are a very wise and respectable people, the other scholars gave me one that acts too much like a child to be my student! Under my teaching, she has been late with much of her research papers, distracted herself by "playing" with the other students, and she even damaged a tree in the courtyard just to move her dorm room onto it! The only reason I have to put up with her now is that the other scholars have threatened to fire me and cut off my funding, if I didn't take her along. Any question I made to why I had to bring her along was avoided.

As usual, when it feels like we've been riding for an hour or two, Jenna, just leaned back with her long ears drooping over the back of her seat, asking, "Are we there yet, Professor?" Even while travelling, she acts like a child and she's only a century old!

I scowled at her as I said, "Jenna, asking me or the pilot that same question over and over doesn't make this trip end any sooner. And why are you dressed like that? We're going to a well respected academy and you look like you're going to a party!"

She just gave me a glazed look in her teal eyes and said, "It's because it's hot today! I need my skin to breathe! As for you, how do you even find those stuffy robes comfortable in temperatures like this?"

"If you must know...," I said, struggling to find a comfortable position in my small seat. "...it's because my tailor knows which fabrics let enough air through. I recommend you see him once we return home. Until then, whenever we reach our destination, put on your academic uniform! We need to show our hosts respect while we're moving between worlds!"

"I'm not making any promises..."

Our pilot shouted from his seat in front of us, "Alright, we're here! Try not to move too much while I fly near the platform!"

"Like I have a choice..." I thought to myself.

I could see out the window at the landscape below. Standing high above dusty plains and scorching deserts, sticking out of the otherwise flat landscape, was the royal city of Rabanastre. Despite all the dull shades of grays, browns, and white throughout the city, it was still a sight to behold for its cathedrals, towers, castles, and the high walls that surrounded the community. It didn't take long before we were flying over the city limits and among the other ships coming in and out of the place. I remember from my youth that, in the old days, the only vehicles you would see in the sky is the massive airships propelled by magicite crystals and and the occasional small aircraft used by the Archadian fleet. Now, because of the revelation that other worlds exist, I saw all around us that the skies here were a little more chaotic with planes, rockets, and starships beyond anything we could imagine. Just seeing this made Ivalice feel a whole lot smaller to me.

Our transport suddenly jerked to the left, which painfully pushed me against the window. A large airship flew uncomfortably close to us as I shouted to the pilot, "What in the world are you doing?!"

He shouted back, "Sorry, Mr. D. I was a bit distracted by... nevermind... We're here!"

We began to slow down and descend. In front of us, a massive gray tower rose up with its platforms reaching out around it. Eventually the vessel came to a stop as the glass dome split apart above us and slid open to let the hot winds blow around us. I was met with the intensity of the sun at an instant in this dry land. The pilot shouted to us, "This is your stop! Your next flight is on the Airship Kirin!"

It was a relief to be out of the confines of that tight prison as my pupil and I climbed out of our seats and stepped on the hard and stable stone. I stepped forward to say to him "Well, I thank you for taking us here, but please be more careful next time! I suppose you would like a tip?"

He just smiled at me with the large-chinned duck bill on his face and said, "Don't worry, Mr. D! The school's already got that taken care of! I'm just glad I didn't crash into the tower this time!"

I felt my stomach sink when he mentioned that. "This time?!"

"Oh yeah, I did that once or twice, but that was years ago! Now I'm as good a pilot as any... most of the time anyway!"

I was almost bewildered that the school gave me a pilot with a history of accidents. I was glad that it wasn't the case this time. I nodded and nervously said, "I'll take your word for it... Just be more careful."

"Hey, thanks! Let anybody else know that I'm available if they need a lift! Now I gotta get outta here before someone finds me here. I'm not allowed to be more than five minutes in this airspace!"

"I'll keep that in mind... good day to you, McQuack."

The pilot saluted me and closed the glass dome over him before flying off. It wasn't long before he was followed by a few patrol vessels. I motioned Jenna, who carried our bags, to follow me into the tower.

The airport of Rabanastre has become quite the place for world travel. Even if you didn't have the gil or munny for the travel fares, you could always meet someone from outside Ivalice and take home something to remember the encounter. After some remodeling and expansions, the place became a second bazaar for the city. Perhaps even better than the Muthru Bazaar district!

We took the elevator down to the main floor, where we were instantly surrounded by citizens and foreigners alike. I told Jenna to stay close as we squeezed through the crowds of people that shopped for goods from the outside world. People of all shapes, sizes, and races were here from all around. Humes, viera, seeqs, baanga, mogs, talking animals, and many more filled the halls with the murmur of their conversations. All around, the merchants shouted out their wares.

"Sugared dates! Sugared dates and figs! Sugared dates and pistachios!"

"Fortunes, forecasts, lucky charms!"

"Fresh fish! We catch 'em! You buy 'em!"

As we walked, Jenna and I looked above at the signs hanging overhead for the different pathways to the airships. Again, another grumble from her reached my ears and I knew another complaint was on the way.

"Professor, slow down! It's bad enough we have to carry all these bags of stupid parchments and inkwells all over the place! Do we really need this much?"

I smirked at her and said, "A scholar would much rather have things that he doesn't need than to need them and not have them. This trip is going to really test our supplies for notes!"

"Notes or an encyclopedia?"

I stopped walking when we found our sign. "Interworld Airship Kirin. Time of Departure: Noon."

"That's in a half-hour!" I said. "Splendid, we're just in time!"

We pushed through the crowd just fast enough to make it to the platform in time for the crew to let the last few passengers on board to take their seats below deck. The Kirin didn't look like the other airships flying over the city. It was made of wood instead of the sheets of metal bolted together on other ships. In fact, it looked more like one of those sailing vessels without masts. Attached to the bow and stern were four huge colorless crystals that glowed brightly, which appeared to be magicite, a mineral that is native to this world with magical properties. Most of our machines and vehicles are powered by these crystals. On the ramp that led into the ship's hull, a single hume woman in a blue dress and hat was taking tickets from the passengers getting inside. Naturally, we followed suit. When we took our places, I was glad that it was more comfortable than what we had to endure in that sardine can of a vessel. I was able to slouch a little on the soft leather cushions while Jenna stretched her long legs and propped them up on the back of an empty seat in front of her.

"Ah, finally I can have a little breathing room!" she said as she arched her back and stretched her arms. "I could take a nap for a few minutes like this!"

"I could do the same thing! This is very nice!" I said.

A loud jingle could be heard across the ship as a gruff, hissing voice could be heard from the loud speakers positioned at the corners of the passenger cabin. By the heavy accent, I could tell it was a bangaa, one of those lizardfolk. "This is your captain speaking. We hope you enjoyed your time here, because now we're going to shove off this hunk of rock! Try to stay in your seats while we launch into the Lanes Between. We don't want to have to clean up the walls again!"

-The Lanes Between-

As I sat, I was left feeling nauseous as the airship lurched to launch. My hands gripped the wooden armrests tightly as I could feel the force of Ivalice's gravity trying to pull me back in as the ship quickly left it behind. Eventually, the pull was gone and I was certain we have left the world's vicinity. I relaxed, feeling like I was about to lose this morning's tea and scones all over my long brown beard. Once it felt safe to leave my seat, I stood and approached the stairs to get a good view outside.

As I read in the tales of the old travelers, it usually takes world travel to appreciate the beauty of the Lanes Between. I watched in awe as thousands of stars passed by us in seconds. Or were we passing by them? To think these interdimensional pathways were previously kept secret to all, except those who were deeply intertwined with the fates of many worlds. Travel within them was banned due to how dangerous it was to be in them from high levels of radiation from some unknown source. Normally it would be quite deadly for me to be standing exposed on the deck. Fortunately however, previous travelers discovered that safe transport through the lanes can be achieved through the protection of ships, armor, and magical barriers. The magicite crystals that propelled us forward also powered these barriers.

I was immediately taken out of my reverie, when I heard a voice say to me, "First time seein' the lanes, guv'nor?" I jumped and looked to my right to see I wasn't alone. A very filthy looking man with a large broom was looking up at the stars with me. Head to toe, this fellow seemed to be almost completely covered in black. He had a black coat, black pants,and black shoes. Even his skin seemed darker since it was covered in soot. By the sulfurous smell, I could tell it was from fire crystal ash. The only thing that stood out was his red scarf, which he wore around his neck, the white pinstriped shirt under his coat, and the gray cap on his head.

He took a glance back at me and said, "Sorry, am I botherin' ya? Couldn't help m'self, guv. A job like this doesn't offer a good chat since those lizards are at the 'elm." At least his teeth seemed clean when he smiled and laughed. "Just wanted to say you were remindin' me of meself when I first took a look up from cleanin'. Cor, what a beautiful sight! Me name's Bert by the way!"

I was taken by surprise when he grabbed by hand in his filthy grip and shook vigorously. I pulled away from him and saw he left my palm looking like ebony. I wiped the soot off on my cloak as I said in a displeased tone, "Mine is Arazlam, and I would appreciate you not doing that again..."

"What, shakin' yer 'and? Why not? It's good luck to shake 'ands with a sweep! At least thats 'ow it is in me old town o' London."

Hearing this made this "London" place seem very unpleasant to me. I took a step away from him and said, "Well, I'm not from London, so I would appreciate a commoner like you to keep his hands to himself!"

Bert just smiled, stepped away, and said, "Say no more, guv'nor! I have to sweep the other side o' the deck anyhow! Good day to ya, sir!" He walked away and began sweeping his broom while singing a tune to himself. I hate to admit that it was quite catchy.

"Chim-chim-in-ey,  
chim-chim-in-ey,  
chim-chim-cher-ee!  
A sweep is as lucky  
as lucky can be!

Chim-chim-in-ey,  
chim-chim-in-ey,  
chim-chim-cher-oo!  
Good luck will rub of,  
when I shakes 'ands with you!"

Jenna came up the steps on deck and her ears faced in the direction of Bert as he sang his tune. She looked over at him with her teal eyes as a child-like smile creeped across her face. She emerged from below with her stilettos tapping against the wooden boards as she held her arms behind her back to sway her head to the sound of the music.

Bert just looked in her direction and sang, "Or blow me a kiss and that's lucky too!" She raised an eyebrow and, as if she decided to humor him for his tune, she kissed her delicate fingertips and made a soft blow. I rolled my eyes as he pretended to catch it and returned to his work.

As she walked her way toward me, I scowled and said, "Try not to play around with too many men, Jenna. This trip is for research purposes only and not the pleasures of a vacation."

She leaned forward and gave me a sly smile, saying in a tone as if she was talking to a child, "Aww, is my teacher getting jealous of me not paying attention to him?" She giggled and moved a silver strand from her face. "I never thought you felt that way about me..."

"Jenna, you know I'm not interested in women that are too young for me."

As I said this, her ears were at full attention on me. Her eyes were like daggers in my direction as her cheeks puffed in rage. She rapidly stamped her foot with her stiletto chipping away at the wood. "Too young?!" she growled. "You know I'm over one-hundred and fourty-five years old! What are you, in your fifties? In that case, you're the one who's much too young you wrinkled hume! I should be the teach-!" I reach into my pocket and produce a forked piece of metal. She backed away and pulled her ears down to the side of her head while making a squeal. "Not the tuning fork! Anything but the tuning fork!"

"Look, we've been over this multiple times. I'm the teacher and you're the pupil. If you are going to act like a child, I will find ways to punish you like one. This is why you're too young in my eyes. Now, are you going to take this trip seriously, or do you still want to goof around with the opposite sex?" She kept pulling her ears down while slowly shaking her head. "Good, because I don't want this to keep being a problem. Is that clear?" She nodded. I smiled to her and put the fork away in my robes. "Now, try to behave yourself while we reach the Eraqus Academy in the Land of Departure."

She let go of her ears and asked, "Remind me again why we're going there?"

"The academy used to be a place where students came to learn the martial art of using keyblades. It was the only one of its kind after the reconstruction. According to the headmistress, they might have some leads for us to discover the truth of our forgotten heroes."

"Oh, right! The only reason we know about them is a journal that had much of the pages blanked out!"

"That is correct. To make matters worse, we were left with a convoluted and confusing story when we tried to fill in those blanks. We need to look for sources outside that journal to make sense out of it."

Once more, I heard the voice of he captain hiss and growl in the speakers. "We are nearing our next stop! Anyone on deck, get to your seats as the ship slows down an lands!"

Hearing this, I was astonished. "We're already there? I was expecting this to take hours with the distance they told me!" Still this was good. We could start our research as soon as we arrived at the old academy! So, Jenna and I returned below deck. Bert stopped sweeping to look up at the world ahead of us.

"Up where the blackness slowly unfurls,  
'tween dark and the light,  
is a mysterious world.

There's 'ardly no day  
nor 'ardly no night.

There's things 'alf in shadow  
and 'alfway in light.

The Land of Departure.  
Cor, what a sight!"

I looked up as well. It was a small planetoid with a dull looking landscape with barren mountains and small patches of green meadows. Nestled between four mountains was a large castle-like structure that was chained to the neighboring peaks. If it wasn't for them, it would have seemed to be floating! I heard the engines begin to quiet down. It was time to return to my seat.


	3. The Land of Departure I

**-The Land of Departure-**

Once the ship made port, Jenna and I disembarked to make our way to this world's academy. It wasn't easy to miss it since it was the only building we could see in the mountains beyond the airport. I took note that the place wasn't very lively. For the most part, it was very dull. The sky was overcast with gray clouds that blocked out what little light there was here. Otherwise, the most brightly lit things here were these white crystals that were hung by the archways and doors all over the place.

The airport, which was made to be like an open air plaza with marble walls and Corinthian columns, was empty, except for a blue pig-like humanoid, known as a seeq. He was snoring behind the ticket counter with a single crystal over his head that lit his booth. His droopy ears flapped on the sides of his head as he let out a loud snort through his flattened, upturned snout.

I hesitantly approached the desk and rang the the rusty bell in front of the swine-like creature. At the first "ding!", he jumped out of his small stool and fell to the floor with a squeal. Slowly, he struggled to get back up on his cloven hooves. He rubbed the tall horn on his head before looking at me. The bared tusks in his sneer confirmed my fears for doing this.

"Who wake up Svin'ya? Svin'ya make you regret it, if it's for nothing!" he bellowed in his heavy accent.

I had to make it quick, so I asked him, "Excuse me, we're sorry to disturb you, but where is everyone?"

The seeq grunted and said, "You did not hear? Everyone left! Well, except for caretakers of old castle and I.", all while using his arm to rub the snot off his disgustingly large nostrils.

"And the students?"

"Students?!" he asked in a bewildered tone. "Ha, you are funny! There haven't been students here for years! At least since old headmaster kicked bucket! Castle has now become museum and library."

"Oh..." I said, in a melancholy tone. "...I'm sorry to hear that. My pupil and I were hoping to meet the headmaster for my research."

Jenna's ears drooped as she groaned and said, "You mean we came out here for nothing?! Mr. Durai, didn't you get a message from someone telling you about this?"

I nodded to her. "Yes, I did receive a letter from the Mog Net. Someone named Montblanc said to meet him here for a lead to get started. However, he didn't mention anything about the academy being out of commission."

"Did you say Montblanc?" the seeq asked. "You must be talking about new owner of the castle. He's been using that place as base of operations."

"Oh, you know of him? Is he not the headmaster?"

He shook his head as his hears flopped around. "Net, he is not! He is treasure hunter and new caretaker of castle. Claimed it for himself during fall of worlds."

"Is he still here? We would like to meet him."

He snorted and used his hoofed hand to scratch his fat belly. "Well, he didn't ask for passage out of here. So, da, he should still be in castle."

"Splendid! That is all we needed to hear! Thank you very much!"

He waved me off and said, "Da, da, whatever. Just let Svin'ya get rest." And then he leaned back on his stool before closing his beady eyes. I motioned my pupil to follow me as we made our way to the castle.

It seemed that the longer we walked, the more gloomy this world appeared to be. With the gray overcast becoming darker, everything seemed to be in perpetual dim light. The ground beneath our feet, even on the pathway, kicked up ashes and dust with each step we took. Jenna was practically sneezing the whole way and I had to wipe my beard to get the particles off.

"Professor, this place is more dusty than those old tomes you make me read! Why is it like this?" she coughed.

"That is a very good question, Jenna!" I said, looking at the silent peaks of the distant mountains. "The thing is that nobody alive knows. The other scholars think it happened at the beginning of the Dark Ages. That was when all the worlds were falling into darkness. This world was a special case, because, instead of disappearing like the other worlds, this place suffered a worse fate. All life almost became extinct here and was sucked into the void. The inhabitants disappeared without any trace. The only things left is the ashes of the previous plant life and the castle we're heading to."

She looked ahead and pointed her large ears toward the large structure that towered between the peaks. "And, about that castle, I keep hearing you refer to it as the 'Eraqus Memorial Academy'. What was so special about it and who was this Eraqus they refer to?"

"You're filled with a lot of questions all of a sudden." I said with a smirk. "Didn't we talk about this before the start of the trip?"

Her ears bent back as she looked at me wide-eyed. I'm pretty sure she just realized that she didn't pay attention to the briefing. She looked to her left and said, "Uh... Yes, I just... didn't take any notes on the subject."

"Shall I refresh your memory? It's a bit of a long story, so I'll give the highlights."

She looked at the road ahead and said, "Well, we have a long walk ahead of us anyway. So, why not?"

"Very well." I said as I began a review session with her.

Eraqus Yamamoto was born on a distant world that was ruled by a tyrannical shogunate. His mother died while giving childbirth, so the only family he had left was his father. By the time he grew up to be ten years old, he was enlisted as a samurai and taught in the ways of the sword. As a member of a higher ranked samurai family, he was one of the shoguns personal retainers, along with his father in the palace. However, his service would not last too long.

With the reveal of the existence of other worlds by an unknown source, the shogun became consumed by a desire to expand his empire across the stars. He even learned to use a special ability to create doors into these other worlds and send his troops to conquer whatever they found. Naturally, they were faced with much opposition as certain worlds were ruled by powerful empires, monarchies, and beasts. This did not deter the shogun as he kept sending more of his men and women into battle. This was known by the outsiders as the "Great Samurai March".

The invasion ended as quickly as it began when the "Dandelions" made a surprise assault against the shogun. They were an army of keyblade weilders, descended from the last of the warriors that survived the Keyblade War. Using the lanes between, they bypassed the armies that protected their power hungry master. The battle raged for hours as the forces fell back to protect their master. Katana and keyblades clashed, gunfire and lightning cracked, cold blizzards blew through the forces, and the land was crimson with an inferno and blood.

In the end, only two samurai were left in the battlefield after the shogun lost his focus and the portals to the rest of his troops were closed off. They were Eraqus and his father. The both of them stood between the shogun and the remaining Dandelions. They keyblade wielders gave them a choice, stand down, or face the sting of death. And then the shogun revealed his true form before they made their decision.

It turned out that, as the war raged, the shogun's desire grew to a point to where he was corrupted into a creature most vile, an extension of the Dark World's will that consumes all that it sees, a heartless. The beast disguised itself as its former self to try to extend its reach to other worlds and destroy them, much worse than the shogun's original plan to rule them. The beast saw no more use for its two retainers and took Eraqus' father first to eat his heart for a power boost against the Dandelions. The boy watched as his father's light was ripped from his chest and thrown into the monster's maw, causing him to react by having his katana face it. He charged forward and beheaded it while it was distracted.

It was only moments when the creature and his father disappeared before he realized what had happened. His only family was gone and he no longer had a lord to serve. He was now left with another choice as a rule from his world, either kill himself to keep his honor or go on living as a ronin. Before he shoved the blade into his own belly, he was halted by the Dandelions, who asked him to join them. With a bit of hesitation, he took their offer.

He was brought to the Land of Departure, the meeting place where Dandelions recruit new members from all over the other worlds. There, he learned the ways of the keyblade and became a master to teach the techniques his father and the previous masters taught him. He became the last of the teachers of the weapon's use and the castle became named after him when he died.

"So, does that clear things up for you?" I asked my pupil.

Jenna just nodded and said, "I think so... Still, that is quite the story. Is that war also the reason why samurai exist in Ivalice?"

"Yes, when the invading samurai warriors lost their escape route back to their home world, they were immediately captured and interrogated. When they revealed the information we needed and we confiscated their belongings, the former samurai were offered a choice for their sentence, either be executed as war criminals, or serve our forces instead. The majority of them took the latter."

We eventually arrived at the castle. The architecture of the bronze structure was certainly alien to me. It certainly appeared to be built with no rhyme or reason in mind. Rooftops and towers were jumbled all around it like it was haphazardly made by different teams with different blueprints working at the same time. Some of the rooms also seemed to be made perpendicular to the main tower in the center while placed on it, assuming the structures had rooms in them.

I ascended the front steps and knocked on the tarnished bronze door that towered over us. A loud echo could be heard with each impact from within. We waited a few moments before it seemed there was no answer. I knocked again.

"Maybe Montblanc is not in there after all?" Jenna asked.

I looked up at the windows, hoping to find any sign of movement. I doubted it since it sounded like there was only one person here. "You may be right." I said. And then the door opened with the screech of metal.

I looked through the passage inside and saw nothing but a brightly lit foyer that was carved from what looked like pure white marble. That was when I heard a small voice said, "Down here."

By instinct, I looked down to see a small, mammalian creature that looked like a cross between a rabbit and a mouse. He had a tuft of blond fur on his head with an antenna sprouting from the crown that had an orange pompom on the end. There were even two small bat-like wings on his back. He wore a green shirt, beige pants, and a fancy pair of green leather shoes. The creature standing before me was of the moogle race.

He looked at me, expecting something and asked, "Well, what do you want?"

I answered with, "Sorry, sir, is Montblanc present in the castle?"

"You're looking at him."

"Really?!" I said, surprised and slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn't know I would be meeting with a moogle."

"Why? You got my message from the Mog Net right? You're Arazlam the scholar?"

"Yes, yes I am." I was still bewildered.

He crossed his little arms and motioned us inside. "Walk this way." The pompom bounced around as he walked ahead of us. Jenna and I just looked at each other and shrugged before following him.

The doors shut behind us while we took a better look at the foyer. Everything looked like it was made of marble. The Corinthian columns, the floral statues, the coat of arms that resembled winged roses, all were pure white. The only things that stood out was the ceiling, which was painted blue with white geometric patterns, and the silver doors at the other end of the room.

The moogle looked back and caught us staring at everything while we stopped in our tracks. "Come on." he said. "If you're worried about the dangers here, it's fine. The magic wore off a long time ago!"

We were taking out of our state of wonder as soon as he said that. "Danger? What danger?" I asked.

"It's nothing just a reason for this place to be nicknamed, Castle Oblivion. Something that makes people go insane. It's ancient history now!"

I didn't know if he was telling the truth, but I didn't come all this way to turn back just because I didn't trust a moogle. He walked up to the silver doors and reached into his pocket. He held up what appeared to be a small blue card with a picture of a book on it. "Well, maybe not all the magic." he said as he raised it in the air.

The doors flashed brightly as they slowly opened. A blinding light was shining through the cracks. Jenna and I raised our hands to protect our eyes before it dimmed. We lowered them to see a massive library beyond the doorway. Montblanc stepped inside and said, "Well, this is why I told you to come here! This is the academy library, containing all the knowledge that the Dandelions possessed. But, I'm sure you are looking for something more specific than class notes and sword fighting techniques."

He walked over to a table at the center of the library, where three black leather chairs were set around it. Sitting on it where four leather bound books of different colors: white, brown, blue, and gray. Montblanc pointed at them and said, "These journals were written by the last individuals to witness the calamity that happened on this world many years ago. They might get you started on who was forgotten."

Jenna's left ear twitched and she raised and eyebrow. She was apparently suspicious. "So, how did you know this?"

He shrugged and said, "I read it. What, it wasn't obvious?"

"Well, most moogles I know aren't really the scholarly types. You read through all four of those books?"

"Yes, I did." he said, rolling his eyes. "And I'm not like most moogles! You can be surprised how much I read in my daily life with so many records I have to write with my business. As for the books, I won't spoil anything for you on what's in those pages. Instead, I'll make some tea while you get started in reading."

He walked out of the room and closed the doors behind him. I looked at Jenna and said, "A nice little fellow, but we should get to work right away!" I looked down at the four journals. Was it really this easy to begin our research? My mind was racing with excitement to open each one! "Jenna, do you have the ink and parchment ready?"

She pulled out an inkwell, a yellow quill, and a stack of blank sheets while saying, "For the last time, yes!". They were set for me on the table in moments. Without hesitation, I sat and opened the white book first to get started reading and I held the quill to write as many notes as possible. Jenna sat across from me and opened the gray journal to assist in her share of the research. It was a matter of moments before we were both engrossed in the pages.

 **-Eraqus-**

Wind and rain pounded against the stained glass windows of the academy. It was late that night, time for all the students to be in their beds before their lessons in the morning. Eraqus, the headmaster of the school, lay in his futon with his wife beside him. The both of them slept to the sounds of pounding raindrops and thunder beyond the wooden walls of their room. Then another sound reached their ears. At first it sounded like the distant roar of three thunder bolts.

"Boom... boom... boom..."

Eraqus grumbled and shifted to his right side on the soft cushions that gave him comfort. "Sounds like the storm is getting worse." he mumbled. "I hope it doesn't last into the morning. We would have to move training into the main hall."

His wife, Kirie, squirmed in her left side and groaned. "I'll clear the carpet and thrones out of he way for them."

It wasn't long before they heard it again and it was louder.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The both of them opened their eyes and slowly sat up to look around their dark room. Kirie asked, "I think that's the door, dear."

Eraqus climbed out of the bed and draped a white yukata over himself as he slid open the doors to the halls. His wife followed suit in her green nightgown. As they stomped across the soft blue carpet through the white and gilded halls, which were a major contrast to the bamboo mat floors and wooden structures of their room, the thunder grew louder and faster as they approached the foyer. This confirmed Kirie's suspicions. It almost seemed to be an instant before they descended the stairs and reached the gold and silver plated doors that shook with the powerful knocks from the outside. Slowly, he slid one of them open and looked out to see a man in an oilskin coat with a hood over his head. What looked like a young boy with blond spiky hair hung limply over his shoulders. The both of them were dripping with rainwater.

The man said in a tired, withered voice, "Eraqus, let us in! The boy needs medical aid!"

"Xehanort?!" Eraqus instantly recognized him and was surprised to see him here. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you when my pupil's wounds are healed!" A small pool of blood was growing at his feet.

"Kuso! Kirie, get a bed ready! I'll get some first aid to stop the bleeding!"

His wife nodded to him and motioned the old man to follow him. "This way! The infirmary is over here!" Xehanort grunted from the pain in his muscles and back as he followed her.

Among the students that were sleeping softly with their casts and bandages from accidents while training, they had the wounded youth brought to the bed further back by the storage closet. Xehanort lay him on the mattress as the blood from the boy's body instantly stained the white sheets. His torso was left shirtless and the chest area was covered in deep gashes that were still leaking a stream of crimson.

Eraqus came in with bottles and bandages at the ready as he looked him over. He tried to keep his voice down to not wake the other patients. "Good gods!" he whispered. "Claw marks! Heartless?"

Xehanort cracked his back and stretched his shoulders before saying in a sad tone, "Yes, it happened when we were investigating sudden disappearances that have occurred at an archipelago in the broken ocean." Kirie, concerned with the old man's well being, offered him a seat. "Thank you, dear friend. These old bones can't carry people like they used to." He sat on the chair next to the bed and removed his hood.

Xehanort was at an advanced age, within his late seventies. All the hair on his scalp was gone, leaving him completely bald. A small gray goatee on his chin made it to where he at least has some hair to speak of for the rest of his head. His skin was also a darker tan than the rest of the individuals within the room.

He sighed as he leaned back against the cushions behind him as he continued his tale. "Anyway, we were ambushed by a new breed of heartless that were more powerful than the usual shadows."

"Yes, Sid mentioned the possibility something like that before he left to assist you." Suddenly, he realized something and then looked around. "Wait, where is Sid? What happened to him?"

Xehanort turned his yellow eyes to the stone floor in sorrow and said, "I lost sight of him when the swarm attacked. I was only able to save my pupil and myself by creating a distraction to escape. I'm afraid Master Yen Sid didn't make it."

Eraqus tried to keep his expression from changing from that of a stonewalled emotion, but his pain was apparent. Kirie's eyes welled up with tears from hearing this as she asked, "So, we are the only Dandelions left?"

"I'm afraid so..." Xehanort said in a solemn tone.

Kirie didn't say anything. She just looked away and silently sobbed. Yen Sid was a very close friend to both her and Eraqus and they have known each other since their youth as students in the academy. Eraqus retuned his focus to the boy and poured a series of potions and disinfectants on the deep scratches before dressing the wound in bandages.

It is an important fact to know that our world is made more dangerous by a massive variety of monsters. Whether it would be the maliciously grinning bombs, the acidic flans, or the stomping behemoths, there is always a manner of beast somewhere to make our lives a living Hell. However, one of the most vile and horrid creatures of our world is the "Heartless".

At the core of every living thing that holds us together is a small light that we call a "heart". This is nothing like the organic heart which pumps blood through our bodies. It got its name from residing within the mediastinum, the body cavity that also contains the actual heart. It's true function is debated, but it seems to provide our body with a stable form and to help keep the two bands of our soul into one entity. But, what happens when we lose it?

Certain individuals who have darker desires may find their heart devoured by the darkness and they transform to reflect that. The new monstrous form they take is known as a heartless or one who is without a heart. These creatures are born from the dark band of the soul and work off of the slightest impulses and the most primal desires. They may come in all shapes and sizes with their own powers, but there is one thing they all share in common, the need to consume the light. As a result, these monsters attack the nearest living things, which contain hearts.

Once a heartless has chosen a target, it will use every means necessary to remove the heart from the victim's body. To say their methods are brutal is an understatement. These creatures show no mercy and it guaranteed to be a most horrible experience to the one they feast upon. To make matters worse, when a living being's heart is consumed by these dark beings, they too will become a heartless.

Once the boy's wounds were treated, Eraqus examined him to see if he was stabilized. It made him feel bad to see someone so young to be attacked like this. He wasn't even a teenager yet. He lay on the bed, seemingly limp and lifeless. He peeled open one of the boys eyes and saw his fears confirmed. The blue iris was blank. There was no pupil.

"I'm afraid he's too far gone." he said. "Though his body didn't vanish, it appears the heartless devoured a huge fraction of his heart. With how long its been, it appears that he's going to die soon."

Xehanort's eyes widened as he stood from he chair and said, "What?! You mean to tell me that the one I was able to save is already dying? Surely, there must be something you can do!"

Eraqus shook his head. "I'm sorry, but there really is nothing-"

"I know you have the ability to fill in the voids of hearts!"

Eraqus was taken aback by Xehanort's exclamation. "How did you...?"

"I overheard you talking with our previous master. Please, you must save my pupil!"

Eraqus has an expression of fear and rage. "No, I can't! It's forbidden! Do you know what can happen if I do this? The boy will never be the same as he was. He will be as a completely different person! Let us also not forget that we don't know which half of his heart is intact! For all we know, he might awaken as a psychopath!"

He felt the gentle hand of his wife on his arm. Her teal pools that were flooded with tears stared into his eyes. "Eraqus, just do it." she pleaded. "We already lost someone today. I can't bear to see another die like this!"

Eraqus put his hands over her shoulders and gripped tightly. He said, "Kirie, you're letting the loss of a family friend cloud your judgement in this! Doing this will not save the boy or anybody!"

"But he's only a child! You're just going to let him perish?"

Xehanort said, "Please, save him Eraqus! Ventus is more than a just pupil to me! He is like my own grandson! My old heart can't take seeing me outlive him!"

Eraqus glared at him and said, "Out of the question!"

The old man's face wrinkled in a deep rage he pulled a keychain with a strips of silver that weaved into an almost floral design with a blue cat's eye staring at them. He swung it like it was a sword before a bright light flashed and it changed shape. Where there was a chain in his hand, there was now a weapon that looked like a black key. It was made of solid cast iron, which gave it its dark color. A pair of bat-like wings connected the pommel to the guard, which looked like a black goat with long horns and a long beard that curled around its head. The blade lacked a fuller and ended with the same gazing eye from before with silver stripes that seemed to have been forged in the darker metal. The point was uneven with two extensions on the edges and one was bigger than the other. This was his keyblade.

"If you will not save him..." Xehanort bellowed. "I will gladly give up my own heart to do it!"

Eraqus' stalwart expression turned to that of horror. "You would risk becoming a heartless to save his life?!"

"Yes..." The old man grinned. "And we both know I have the capabilities of becoming a very powerful one. Which will it be Eraqus? Save his life or watch me become a horrible beast and have my former student hating you, knowing you allowed this to happen?"

Kirie gasped and shouted, "You can't!"

"I will, unless you save him before I do!" Xehanort moved his grip to the blade to face his chest. He looked like he was about to stab himself, when Eraqus shouted, "Stop!" The old man froze and stared at his friend's still glaring eyes. "Very well! You win! I will do it, but I will not be responsible for the consequences!"

Eraqus reached into the sleeve of his yukata and puled out a black keychain with what looked like a black arrowhead with three pointed ends. He swung it and another keyblade appeared. Just like Xehanort's, it was made of cast iron, but the blade wasn't sharp. In fact, it looked more like a bludgeoning weapon than a sword with a solid cylindrical shape to it. A thin geometric piece by the flat tip completed its key-like appearance. The handle was flanked by a network of cast and polished iron that was fastened together and connected the pommel to the guard.

He approached he boy, Ventus, and pointed the blade over his heart. Closing his eyes, the master sighed. "Please forgive me, master." A beam of white shot through the boy's chest. Ventus' blue eyes shot open as he cried out in agony. He was so loud, everyone could hear him through the whole castle. The rest of the room, surprisingly not awakened by the argument before, now stirred from their rest to see the event unfold. Their voices echoed through the room.

"What's going on?"

"Are we under attack?"

"Moira, is that you? You already have the kids! What more do you want?"

Eraqus put down his blade and said in an annoyed tone, "Students, it's just another patient! Go back to sleep!"

The room calmed back down, reducing the noise to a murmur, and eventually silence. However, it would not stay this way for long. A pitter-patter of bare feet echoed from the halls and the door slammed open. A young teenage girl with blue hair ran inside in her white nightgown. A look of fear and concern was on her face.

"Master Eraqus, I heard screaming and there was blood on the floor! What happened?"

Eraqus looked at the girl, he didn't want her there at this moment. "Aqua, return to your dorm at once!" he commanded.

She looked to see the old man. "Master Xehanort? But then...?" She looked the others in the room. "Where's Master Yen Sid?"

Eraqus could see her concern growing. His words became sharper. "He's not here right now. Return to your dorm! Now!"

"Where is he then? Where is my teacher?" she demanded. He was afraid that she would keep asking, but he kept his mouth shut. And then Kirie placed her hands on Aqua's shoulders and sadly looked her in the eye.

"You might want to sit down for this..." she said.

I was a matter of moments before Aqua's face was buried in her hands and tears streamed between her fingers. The room descended into air of sadness while the boy slept softly in his bed. He would be the only one to get a good rest that night.


	4. The Land of Departure II

-Ventus-

Ventus lay paralyzed in blackness when he achieved consciousness. He could feel a tingling sensation in his chest when he finally regained the control to open his eyelids. The sunlight from the windows on the other side of the room was almost blinding. When his eyes focused, he could also see a dimmer green light. It was emanating from the hands of a girl that sat over him. She was older than he was and she had blue hair and a matching pair of eyes. He could see a solemn look on her face, like the light was lost from her life. Still, her beauty and the white gown she wore, made her look like an angel.

He groaned and asked, "Am I dead? Did I go to the Isles of the Blessed?"

At an instant, her hands stopped glowing and she gasped while backing away. She ran out of the room in a panic, shouting, "Oh.. oh my! Master Eraqus! He's awake! He spoke to me! He's awake!"

When she was gone, he regained control of his eyes and looked around the room. He was on a bed with white sheets that had black stains on them. He could see there were other beds around him that were occupied with other people that lay with bandages. "Is this a medical ward? So, am I actually alive?" he wondered. "Why am I...?" He looked down to see the bloodstained bandages on his chest. More questions were running through his mind. "Why can't I move my body? What happened?" He looked up at the stone Gothic designs on the ceiling, trying to process the last event he could think of. "I remember... nothing, except dying. But how did I...?"

The door slammed open and he saw an old man march inside. He had dark skin, a bald head, a white goatee, and piercing yellow eyes. He wore a black unbuttoned jacket with gray extensions that reached his ankles. Underneath was an untucked white shirt. His arms had large white gloves that reached the elbows with black leather straps on the wrists that caused them to be splayed out. On his legs, he wore black cloth pants and black leather boots.

He came to the boy and looked down at him, his yellow gaze piercing into Ventus' very soul. Kneeling next to the bed, he grinned and laughed in a fit of joy. "Thank the gods, you're awake! Ventus, speak to me!"

"Who are you?" he asked.

The old man's smile quickly switched to a frown. "You don't remember, your dear old teacher? Eraqus was right, you are not the same boy that became my pupil."

"You're my teacher?"

A younger, sterner voice shouted, "Xehanort, back away from him!"

Another man walked into the room. He wore a white _haori_ that had the addition of what looked like a hood draped over his back. A black _do_ breastplate with _kasazuri_ covered his torso underneath. A pair of _hakama_ trousers flowed through the air as he walked forward with his _tsurumaki_ tapping against the stone floor. His black hair was tied up into a messy fashion and the untidy facial hair made him look like a _ronin_. Ventus was surprised he could at least remember what a _ronin_ was.

"We don't know if he's safe to be around yet!" he whispered.

Xehanort stepped away from the bed and said, "I am sorry, Eraqus. I was just happy to see my pupil is recovering well."

"You should be more glad, if it turns out that the light half of his heart and soul is what's recovering. I'm gathering the students in the castle garden for his test."

The old man nodded and walked off without a word. Ventus was alone with Eraqus as he asked, "What kind of test? I don't even know what's going on! I haven't even studied!"

Eraqus just glared at him and said, "I don't have time for any jokes! I will have two of my students to watch over you while you regain control of your body." He snapped his fingers as two other people entered the room. One of them was the girl from before, but this time she wore a red _hakama_ and a pure white _gi_. The other was a boy with brown spiky hair that was combed back. He was much taller and more muscular than the girl and wore the same uniform. The both of them carried curved wooden swords, called bokken.

The master walked past them toward the door, saying, "Terra, Aqua, I want you both to keep an eye on our guest while I move the rest of the students away from him. You know what to do, if he shows malicious intent."

The brown haired boy stared at Ventus while Eraqus helped the other patients out of their beds. He raised an eyebrow and looked back at him. "Father, he's just a child. A preteen. What kind of trouble could he be?"

Eraqus flashed a livid look at him. "Terra, I told you that, during training hours, you will not refer to me at that title! You are to call me master or _sensei_! And you dare to question my orders? Once this matter is taken care of, you will be spending three hours, practicing _iai_!"

"What?! But I...!"

"Four hours!"

Terra sighed and bowed, "Very well, _Sensei_."

"Good, now don't take your eyes off that boy!" said the master, escorting one of his students, who was on crutches.

Two others passed by the brown haired guard. One of them said, "The master is really soft on Terra."

"Yeah, he made me practice for twelve hours the last time I crossed him!"

Terra just grumbled while Aqua pat him on the back. "Hey, it's okay." she said. "I'll practice with you! I'm going to need it to take m mind off everything that's happened..." The both of them looked at the boy. Aqua put her hands on her hips and asked, "Well, how much can you move now?"

Ventus tried to move his arms and could barely lift them off the mattress. "Not much." he said.

"Well, then I guess we'll be waiting a little while."

"Good, I won't have to worry about practice that much yet!" Terra said with a grin. "As for why my dad's so tightly wound about you, there might be something to do with the dark. He always gets like this about it."

Aqua nudged him. "Terra, we don't know if that's the case."

"I know we don't know! But, he's so much of a nyctophobe, that he obsessively removes anything that reminds him of the dark! He even keeps the hallways brightly lit all night and sleeps with the door cracked!"

"Sheesh! And I thought you were the child that was scared of the dark!"

"Hey!" Terra looked furious while his face was turning red.

After a few more moments, Ventus found the strength to pull himself up and sit on the bedside. "So, what if I had anything to do with the dark? What then?"

Terra shrugged. "He'd probably kill you."

The boy's face grew pale and he felt his stomach sink. He didn't know anything that was going on and now these people are telling him he might be killed! Was that going to happen, if he didn't pass this "test"? He could feel a chill in his spine.

Aqua asked, "Well, I see you have enough strength to get up now. Can you move your legs?"

"I-I think I can." Ventus said in a nervous tone.

Terra grabbed one of his arms and helped him up. "Then let's not keep everyone waiting." He pulled Ventus to his feet and helped him along toward the exit. Aqua grabbed the other arm to assist. Ventus could feel his legs were very weak, but he was glad he had help as he slowly began to feel the proper strength to walk again.

He was brought to the garden in front of the castle. It looked like it was on the top of a large circular column of rock. As he descended the white stairs, he could see the pools and swamps far below the crags that the castle's tower's were chained to. Speaking of the castle, it was very strange to him. From the inside, the large foyer and the doors to the different rooms suggested it was a very large place with numerous rooms. Now that he was out, the building looked a lot smaller; too small to hold even that giant foyer that seemed to extend beyond the building's geometry. Was this some kind of magic?

Ahead of him, on a circle of white marble that lay on the center of the column of rock below the castle, many people in uniform, the students, were gathered in an incomplete ring. The way into the center was kept clear. Standing opposite from the three that exited was Eraqus. Ventus could see some of the students armed with _yumi_ longbows. As they approached, they drew _ya_ arrows from the quivers on their backs.

He was brought to the center of the ring as Eraqus stepped forward. Terra and Aqua removed themselves form Ventus' arms and made sure he was stable enough to stand on his own. When it looked like he was alright, they moved into the crowd. The master spoke loud enough for all to hear. His voice echoed between the crags. "Students, I have gathered you here as a measure of force, in the case that I may have caused a grievous error. The boy you see before you, may seem to be an average little boy of nine, but he is in fact possibly dangerous! As Master Xehanort tells me, he is his pupil, a student in the school of speed!" There was a murmur among the students.

"Hey, isn't that the school that makes you run like the wind?"

"A discipline that teaches avoiding and evading? That doesn't seem threatening."

"Don't forget, that's also the discipline that lets you attack before the opponent can think!"

Eraqus raised his hands to silence them and said, "Now, I know we are familiar with what he could be capable of. You can be at ease, knowing that I removed his key chain and is unable to summon his weapon."

"He has a key chain?!"

"He can summon a keyblade? But he's so young!"

"The age of the wielder does not matter!" Eraqus exclaimed. "All that matters is when the masters believe one is ready to gain such a weapon. However, the boy's worthiness is not what I'm bringing into question. He is here for me to test the content of his heart and soul. Archers!" The ring of armed students readied their bows and aimed at the boy's head. "If he makes any sudden movements toward me, fire at will!" This made Ventus break out into a cold sweat and he stood very still as the master continued. "Now, boy, state your name to the academy!"

"M-my name is Ventus! I don't know why, but that's all I can remember!"

"Nothing else?"

"Well, I've been trying to think further back, but all I get is a slight headache."

"Alright then, Ventus, we can begin your test. I will present to you a moral dilemma and you must answer honestly to what you believe is the best answer. How you answer will determine if you can be spared." Ventus gulped as the bows' strings pulled back. "You are standing at the top of a cliff. Five people below you are trapped in front of a raging Cera Terror and they can't get out of the way in time before it tramples them to death. Standing directly next to you is a large man. You know that, if you push the man off the cliff, his weight will slow the monster down enough to allow the five to escape. However, you also know that the fall will lead to his certain death. Which do you choose to do?"

Ventus couldn't help, but hesitate in his answer. What would he say to get them to put down their arrows? Both answers sounded really bad. In this scenario, would he allow the five to die under the feet of a monster or would he murder one life to save others? Moments passed as he thought it over.

"Are you having trouble? My archers' arms are getting tired! They may not hold off their attack for too long!"

Ventus was too frightened to say anything! His heart pumped in his throat! Would he have to escape? Where would he go, if he did? On top of that, his legs were still struggling to make him stand! He could see the archer to his left twitch her fingers to let loose an arrow.

"I'd throw myself in front of the monster!"

The whole garden stood in silence, except for the soft whistle of the wind. Eraqus stared at Ventus in surprise and then changed his expression to show his approval. "Archers stand down! He passed the test." The _yumi_ bows were lowered and the boy let himself relax to the point to where he was on his knees.

"That was the correct answer?" he asked.

"Well, there really was no right or wrong answer." Eraqus said. "The point of the test was to see if you would consider the weight of the choices. A person in the side of the light has trouble deciding when lives are involved. A heart of darkness, would choose to throw the large man in front of the beast without a moment's hesitation." He looked to everyone else in the garden. "Students, Ventus shall live among us as your fellow pupil. Treat him as such." Looking back at the boy, he said, "Ventus, welcome to the Keyblade Academy."

The silence became a cheer from the crowd as they all closed the gap of the ring to greet the new arrival. Many of the students were telling Ventus how they were glad he wasn't some kind of monster. He felt a strong force land on his shoulder, which came from Terra's hand. He said, "Hey, you did it! I must apologize for my father's paranoia. I still don't know why he thought you were a threat."

"I don't know either." Ventus said.

Aqua moved beside him, saying, "Well, whatever the case, it looks like you're going to be okay!"

Eraqus continued. "As for further news, I have received word that Master Xehanort has left while we tested you."

Terra was surprised to hear this. "Master Xehanort left? But I thought he wanted to stay to see his pupil pass the test."

"It certainly confused me as well, but he said that he had urgent matters to attend to in another world. Kirie tried to convince him otherwise, due his back pain, but he ignored her and left without another word. Sometimes I wonder what matter is so urgent for him to risk his health like that, but I just assume it has something to do with the outbreaks of heartless in the outside world."

"That is true. The heartless population has been increasing at a rapid rate." Aqua said; "But, I still think it's too dangerous for him to be fighting them alone in his condition!"

Eraqus nodded in agreement. "Right, which is why I'm going after him." He turned and walked away. "Terra, Aqua, take Ventus to his dorm while I convince him to return."

Kirie approached from the crowd as he left. She was wearing a red floral _kimono_ and her brown hair was tied into a bun. Giving the new arrival a warm smile, she said, "But first, perhaps he would like some tea?"

The four of them gathered under a cherry tree on one of the mountains overlooking the academy. The blossoms were in bloom, showing it was early spring. Kirie poured some green tea in four white bone china cups and passed them around the group. They all sat with their knees on the ground while their heels supported their rears.

"I hope my husband didn't frighten you." she said to Ventus; "He usually has the best intentions."

Ventus took his cup. The green liquid steamed in the cool morning air. "Hey, it's alright. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I really was something to be afraid of before I woke up."

As Terra and Aqua took sips from their cups, the woman asked, "Well, what do you remember from before? You were in quite a horrible state when your teacher brought you to our doors."

"Sorry, my mind is a blank about that. You say I was in pretty bad shape?"

Terra said, "Yeah, Master Eraqus told us all about it! You were attacked by a swarm of heartless and left at the brink of death. Master Xehanort saved you and brought you to us to get you healed."

"Xehanort?" Ventus asked; "Is he that old guy from before?"

Kirie nodded and said, "Yes, he was your teacher in the ways of the keyblade. Don't you remember?"

"Beats me! I already told you I'm drawing blanks in my memory. The only things I can remember is my name and that I have a keyblade. I honestly don't know where I came from, how I got here, or who anybody here is."

The woman took a sip of her tea and placed it on the ground in front of her. She smiled and said, "Then perhaps we shall go through introductions to make things less confusing for you? My name is Kirie Yamamoto. I am the assistant headmistress of the academy, a teacher of the School of Weaponry, and wife of Eraqus. I believe you already met my son, Terra?"

Terra put down his cup and switched from a kneeling position to criss-crossing his legs for comfort. "Yeah, we met, though I wish it was in better circumstances." he said; "If you didn't catch it the first time, the name's Terra. It's nice to meet you! What was your name again?" He held out his hand to shake with Ventus.

The boy smiled and gripped it to oblige. "It's Ventus. You can call me 'Ven' for short."

The azure haired girl gracefully shook hands with him as well, saying, "And I am Aqua. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ven."

Ven could feel the temperature of his face rise as he saw the girl's warm smile under the sun while petals dropped from the tree. He was confused about what he was feeling at this moment and decided to distract himself with a quip. "Hey, I just thought of something! Aqua, Terra, Ventus? All we need is a pyro, and we have a complete set!"

At first the three stared at him in awkward silence, but a moment later, Aqua looked like she had an idea and giggled loudly. Terra looked at her and asked, "What, you got what he was talking about?"

She waved him off and said, "It's an alchemy joke. You wouldn't understand."

He had an annoyed expression and said, "Way to remind me on how well I did in that class..."

"Still feeling down about turning half the class' faces green?"

"Aqua, don't joke about that! It took weeks for the green skin to peel off! Everyone made fun of us and the victims beat me up for it!"

"Aw, Terra, don't be such a stiff! Loosen up a little!"

"Well, I'd like to, but I have to do iai training here soon. Best get started before Dad decides to make me do it the whole night!" he said, finishing his tea before getting up and rushing back to the academy. As he did, his face was full of rage and embarrassment.

Ven saw this and asked, "Is he going to be okay? You really seemed to upset him."

"Oh, don't worry about him." Kirie said; "He's usually very serious and lacks a sense of humor, but he has his moments."

"Yeah, and they're few and far between." Aqua said.

"I'm afraid that can't be helped right now." Kirie gathered the used cups and stood. "Well, Ven, I'm sure you might need some rest after how eventful this morning has been for you. I will take you to your room."

The boy yawned a little and said, "You're right. I'm still a little sleepy."

And so, after the dishes were handled, Ven followed Kirie through the lengthy halls of the castle to his dorm. She handed him an oddly shaped card with three points on the top. It almost looked like a crown in some way. "That is your room key." she said; "Simply touch your door with it and the magical lock will shut down." She brought him to a door with blue paint on it. "Go ahead! Try it!"

Ven just looked at the card and touched the door with it. There was a loud click as it slowly opened to reveal the room beyond. It wasn't very big, but had enough space to live comfortably. It had a well kept bed, a full bookshelf, and an office area with a desk and lamp. It was certainly all set for someone to live in it.

"Please make yourself at home and take as much rest as you need. The dining hall will be serving dinner later in the evening, if you wish to join us. Take care!" Kirie closed the door as Ven entered and looked at his new digs. He lay on the bed and was instantly greeted to the comfort of the mattress. He didn't have any clue of what his life was or where it was going, but he certainly was glad he was being well taken care of.

Still, something bothered him. Eraqus said he took his keychain away. Why hasn't he returned it, now that he is staying here? He certainly proved that he wouldn't be too dangerous with it. His mind was soon overtaken by his fatigue as he closed his eyes. Maybe this will be a matter to think about tomorrow?

Four years have passed since then.


	5. A Lone Desert World, Uncharted Swamp

**-Arazlam-**

Jenna and I spent hours looking over the entries within the four years Ventus began his stay in the academy. For the most part, nothing much happened during this time. Most of what we could find was matters of lessons on fighting techniques, a few drop-outs, and the mysterious disappearance of Master Xehanort. There were no notes, not messages on the Mog Net, no forms of contact whatsoever. They assumed he died somewhere and held a memorial service for both him and this "Yen Sid" they spoke of.

After that, Eraqus, Ventus, Terra, and Aqua wrote of their times together over the years. Aqua spent the time, coping with the loss of her original master and began her training with Master Kirie to hone her skills in swordplay along with her magic. She eventually grew up to be a very inquisitive young woman, who seems to spend much of her time writing notes. Her journal is the most extensive out of the ones we were reading, filled with descriptions on how she tried to weave her magic into new spells. One entry talks of her trying to make a thesis on the mystery of substitutiary locomotion, the art of making inanimate objects alive.

Terra trained with Master Eraqus in the school of strength. His journal goes into some detail about the hours he spent, trying to perfect his Iai, a sword technique that requires the wielder to make a slice while drawing their weapon. He also felt a bit distant from his father during his training, like there was some kind of wall between them. His description of their relationship almost felt like they were always student and teacher. There was never a moment when they acted like father and son. His mother tells him, "He's just tense about these dark times." However, Terra sensed there was something more.

Ven, after becoming a resident of the academy, worked with the castle staff to earn his keep. He helped with cooking the food, scrubbed the windows, and assisted in the training of students with swift opponents. After living there for 6 months, Eraqus finally returned the keychain to the boy, but would refuse to justify his reasons of holding it long after testing his heart. The journal describes how the headmaster would always be watching him through that time with a look of suspicion.

I tried to look through Eraqus' journal to see any reason for this. But, something didn't seem right. There seemed to be a huge gap in his pages. The entries after Ven's arrival were absent, like there were pages missing. After closer inspection, I found pieces of torn paper tucked in the binding. They were ripped out! It really pains me to see this in many records in my career. But this? This was like Eraqus or some unknown third party didn't want anyone to know something about him at this point. I felt this was something to ask Montblanc about when he would return with our beverages. Of course, I would soon find that Eraqus was not the only one that had something odd about his records.

 **-A Lone Desert World-**

A colossal white palace towered over a vast city within the desert. It was night and the full moon shined on the golden bulbous domes of the eleven towers that were built into the rocks below. The structure and the city were nestled in their own rocky oasis, surrounded by endless dunes and clouds of sand that glimmered in the pale moonlight. One might say that this place looked like a "diamond in the rough" with its splendor, surrounded by this dull, almost lifeless environment.

Within the tallest and largest tower of the palace, a young princess curled in the warmth of her cushioned bed to escape the chilly winds blowing through the silk drapes. For her, it was part of the disadvantages of living in such a tough environment. But hey, it was home. Her guards would always make jokes about the desert like, "If the day doesn't cook you, the night will freeze you to death."

She was a child at six years old with skin that was tanned from the hot sun that moved across the sky every day. Her hair was a raven black and her closed lids hid a pair of eyes that had the same shade of green as the leaves of the jasmine vines in the garden. Because of this, her father named her "Jasmine".

Jasmine was the daughter of Sultan Hamed II, who owned countless miles of trade roads that have brought all kinds of wonders into the city. Due to the wealth this brought, she thanked her lucky stars and the "most high" that she was born into a social status that eased the woes of this unforgiving world. She couldn't imagine how bad it must be for the people in the city below, let alone care. Her father told her many horrible stories about how horrible of a place the world outside the walls was. Though the roads brought many treasures, they also brought bands of cutthroats, thieves, and raiders. To her, it was a blessing from the highest being that the walls kept it all out. Whatever was out there, was going to be only the problem of the commoner and adventurer, or so she thought.

From beyond the silk curtains that swayed in the wind, there was a loud "thud". She awoke with a gasp and listened in the quiet darkness. There were more consistent "thuds" that followed, like the steps of large feet on the marble floor. She carefully moved under the large pillows and cushions. From the gaps, she could see the shadow of something moving under the moonlight through the veil that looked out at the balcony. She could feel her heart racing as it stepped closer and poked its head through the draped silk.

She was greeted to the sight of a large beak from a giant bird. The creature was huge! It was bigger than a horse! She had seen many exotic birds come to the palace to entertain her, but never one this size! The bird turned its focus toward the bed. Did it see her? Something told her she didn't want that. It stepped closer on its huge feet, each had three toes: two facing the front and one pointing back with large claws. Its head bobbed as it moved closer. She tried to hide as much of herself under the cushions as possible and hoped that it would just go away. Then something grabbed her by the right leg of her silk pants and yanked her out of her padded fortress. This caused her to scream, making the rest of the palace stir.

The two guards, who were in charge of the princess, ran inside. They wore black vests that showed off their pectorals, white loose-fitting pants, red sashes around their waists, and white turbans with a red polished jewel on each. Both had scimitars strapped to their backs, which they immediately drew at the sight of the creature as they used their free hands to shine their torches on it.

The bird stood over the taller, more muscular guard at 10 feet and its wings extended from tip to tip at almost 20! The feathers that covered its body and its beak were black as charcoal. Its eyes were a deep shade of gold that stared at them with an intensity that pierced their souls. It stepped back while using its wings to make itself look bigger and it let out a horrible shriek that cut into their ears. This defensive tactic seemed to work on the smaller guard, who ran away. The one that stayed shouted, "Cassim, you coward! Get back here and help me save the princess!" He then returned his focus at the creature and charged with his blade. "Fine, run away! I'll have this bird's head as a trophy!" Before he could slash at it, he was met with a strong kick to the face by one of its giant gray feet and sent flying out the door.

With the two immediate threats gone, the bird made a run for the balcony as the princess kicked and screamed, "Help! Put me down! Some monster is taking me!" With how she hung from the beak by her clothing, there was no way her small arms could reach the monster to slug it to let her go. It jumped over the marble railing and she could feel the rush of them beginning their flight. The bird extended and flapped its wings to start climbing to the sky.

The other guards found the princess's protector dazed on the floor. They were led by a short, overweight individual with a fancy gold robe and a large turban with a blue feather. His bushy black and gray beard showed his years. Standing over the beaten warrior, he shook him awake, asking, "Razoul, what happened?!"

He spat out a tooth and said, "Sultan Hamed, your highness... the princess... she's kidnapped!"  
"What?! No! Not my daughter!" the sultan shouted as he ran into the room; "Jasmine!" He was too late. The room was empty and only a single black feather was left behind. Razoul stood and demanded to the rest of the royal guard, "Don't just stand there, you idiots! Get the archers and shoot down that bird!" As the guards rushed away to sound the alarm, the sultan jumped out of the bedroom, shouting, "Shoot it down?!"

The princess struggled in the bird's large beak as it spiraled and climbed with the air currents around the towers. Below, the palace became alive. Torches and oil lamps were lit all over the place as shapes and shadows emerged on the various walkways and walls. A small army of the sultan's archers, dressed in leather padding, black silks, and pointed helmets that seemed to match the tops of the towers, made their positions. They drew their bows and pulled back arrows to aim at the creature. For many of them, it was difficult, given the dark plumage that blended with the night sky. However, this wouldn't last for long.

As soon as the bird's silhouette appeared in front of the moon, one of the guards ordered the archers to fire. A large volley of arrows was let loose through the cold night sky. The creature heard the first few fly by and it tried to avoid the rest. As it dipped and dived, the princess covered her head and hoped none of them would hit her. "What are they doing?!" she thought; "What if I get killed from this?!" No sooner after this crossed her mind, a lone arrow scratched against one of the black wings, causing the bird to open its beak and let out a screech. The princess plummeted down toward one of the spires below and screamed.

The sultan pushed a few of his archers out of the way and was horrified to see his daughter falling to her certain death. "Jasmine!" The girl could not hear her father's cry, but the roar of wind that assaulted her ears. She could do nothing, but close her eyes and hope this was all a bad dream. Then she had a nauseous feeling in her stomach as her world flipped upsidedown and she stopped in her tracks. She opened her eyes to see she was mere inches from the tip of the tallest tower. Looking up, she saw the black bird again, gripping the waist of her pants with the hook of its beak. It yanked her up and continued to fly away clumsily, before catching a strong air current and soaring away.

The archers were about to reload, but the sultan burst forth from the halls into the northern wall and shouted, "Lower your weapons! You'll kill my daughter!" They did as he asked without question and felt rather embarrassed of themselves for trying it again. The sultan was right. They nearly had her impaled on the highest tower. Now, there was nothing they could do. They could only watch as the bird carried off the only heir to the throne.

Jasmine looked back at the only home she knew moving away from her. Her tears welled up in her eyes as she heard the last faint cries of her father calling her name. Soon all that was left was the sound of the wind that carried her captor through the air. She looked up at the bird angrily. She started shouting questions at it, almost as if she expected it to understand her and give an answer. "Where are you taking me? Why did you kidnap me? What do you want from me?" Naturally, all she got from the bird was silence. Its golden eye just gave her a glance before looking back at the way ahead. As if by impulse, she looked to see they were moving toward menacing looking clouds that flashed with lightning. "You're taking us into a storm?! No, fly away, you stupid bird!" The black feathered creature squawked at her before she felt the vibrations of the thunder.

It wasn't long before they were engulfed by the swirling dark mass and the light of the moon was completely blocked out. The only thing she could see was blackness and the occasional flashes around them. Soon a new sound came to her ears. Within the wind, there were the soft sounds of hissing, growling, and sinister giggling. Shadows of strange humanoid shapes appeared in the sparse seconds of light all around them. They seemed to converge to a point before them that almost made it look like a black orb within the electric sky. It seemed to widen and open like a huge maw that the bird was speeding toward. Jasmine closed her eyes as her captor dove into it.

 **-Uncharted Swamp-**

The princess felt the wind around her become calm. It even felt different. Sure, it felt a little warmer and more humid than what she was used to. She opened her eyes to see that the storm clouds were gone and they were flying over a layer of clouds as far as her eyes could see. Taking in everything she could, she could not help but notice some other differences. The moon changed phases into a waxing crescent and she felt there was something different about the positions of the stars.

She watched as the clouds below cleared away and revealed a vast gloomy swamp. Everything here was blanketed in the darkness of night with only a few fireflies providing a small bit of light around them as they danced in the air. The sounds of frogs, crickets, and cicadas were deafening. Ahead, trees that had a strange moss that draped over their branches spread apart at a clearing. The moon's reflection showed it was a lake. In its center, an abandoned ship of a design she never saw before sat on a bank that was thick with reeds and cattails. The years were not kind to this vessel. All the paint chipped off long ago, the wood rotted at certain points and the smoke stacks were horribly bent and weathered. The wheel in the stern that seemed to propel it forward was almost rotted away. Dim lights shone through the various windows.

The giant bird swooped down and closed in on the ghostly ship and landed on the very top. As the bird carried the princess in its beak, the girl struggled and started punch and kicking at it. "Where did you take me?! Put me down, or I'll..." She was soon interrupted as she was brought to one of seven iron grates that appeared to be recently installed on the roof. The bird used one of its large feet to open one on the starboard side near the smoke stacks and did as the princess requested. She screamed as she fell into the room below before immediately landing on something soft.

She climbed her way off and back on her feet, when she found she was on what appeared to be a fancy bed with freshly cleaned sheets and a feather mattress. Looking around, she could see she was in what appeared to be a room with a tarnished vanity mirror, a rotted wooden nightstand, and a musty smelling wardrobe that was made of oak. She looked at the door and saw thick iron bars. The gaps showed it led into a hallway with another room across. It was barred as well. She could see the silhouette of someone else moving inside. Without hesitation, she ran to the door and shook the metal bars to get the other person's attention. "Hello?! What's going on? Where are we?"

The silhouette seemed to notice her and came up to the bars. In the dim candlelight of the hall, she could see it was another girl around the same age as her. Her skin was pale with parts of her hands and face covered in what appeared to be soot. She wore a blue dress over a white blouse and a white apron that was stained in a black substance. Her brown hair was tied back in a braid. The girl spoke in a language she never heard before.

"Il vous obtenir aussi? Que veut ce garcon avec nous?!"

"What? I can't understand you!"

The other girl thought for a moment and said, "Wait, are you speaking in Arabic? I read a book on that and can speak some of it!"

Relieved that she had someone to talk to she said, "Praise Allah! Please, tell me what's going on! Where are we?"

"I'm wondering the same thing!" said the filthy girl. "I was just working on a machine with my Papa, when it started letting off smoke. I ran outside to get some fresh air, when this giant bird swooped in and carried me away! I ended up here and saw another girl was brought here as well."

"Really? Another one?"

"Oui, down the hall. She's hasn't been much conversation really. She speaks in English and I'm not very good at it. I just wished she knew some French!"

Just then, form out of the shadows down the hall, a black masked boy stomped forward and kicked on the French girl's cell door. He shouted in the same language as her. "Se taire!" His mask looked like a featureless black come that wrapped around the front of his face and was bordered by a silvery ring of metal that lined the chin and around the back of his scalp. His body seemed to be out of a nightmare since it looked like it lacked skin. The visible areas around the neck, torso, arms, and thighs had what looked like it had the black sinew of exposed muscles with lines of blood red fibers. The only parts not visible were hidden under a indigo tunic and black boots.

He turned to face the girl from Agrabah. Her face was reflected on the polished black mask as he gripped the iron bars. "And you, you shut up too! Prisoners are not allowed to speak to each other here!"

She could feel her heart racing as he stood over her with his presence. She gulped and asked, "Was it you who sent that bird? Who are you? Why have you brought us here?"

He stepped back and walked away. "In due time." he said; "in due time."

Meanwhile, while the boy wasn't looking, the third girl was picking at the lock of her door. She kept a hairpin hidden under the mattress when she was first brought here. She couldn't help but thank her grandmother for giving it to her before the black bird kidnapped her. After her warden was done shouting at the newcomer, her lock opened with a "clank" and the door opened. Without a thought, she took this opportunity to make a run for it. It was at this moment that the boy turned to see her.

"Oh no you don't!" he shouted, extending his arm toward her. The candles grew dimmer as the shadow of his arm stretched across the wooden floor that creaked with each of the girl's steps. As the shadow grew darker, it seemed to change into the shape and consistency of liquid. It soon went from a point where light is blocked to a form of matter. The liquid oozed across the wood and bubbled as long, blade-like claws emerged and grabbed at the girl's heels. She picked up the pace as dark humanoid creatures slowly crawled from the inky substance. "You can run, but you can't hide from me, little princess!" she heard the boy bellow; "I'm everywhere!"  
As she kept running, more and more claws raked and grabbed at her from the walls. She had to pick up the pace or else the creatures would surely have her! After some bobbing, weaving, and sprinting through the growing hoards, she eventually came to the room at the hall and closed the door behind her. After locking it and placing a chair at the handle, she felt it bought her some time, but she didn't know how long.

Quickly, she looked at her surroundings. It looked like an office. There was a large mahogany desk with a worn leather chair behind it. Scraps of parchment and blots of ink were left strewn about like someone was using it recently. Glass bottles were also placed around the table Behind it, she could see the yawning opening to a balcony with the sounds of cicadas and crickets calling her to freedom. She ran to it, only to see that the way down was a two-story drop! A crunch of wood told her that the creatures were getting through her barricade. If she was to jump now, the water below may be too shallow for her to survive. It looks like she would either be captured and sent back to her room, just die, or maybe...

She looked back at the desk as the claws broke a hole through the door. While pairs of red eyes glowed in the darkness, she hastily took a blank piece of parchment, dipped a pen in the inkwell and wrote a short message. She knew this idea would be a shot in the dark, but she was desperate. Once finished, she took one of the bottles and pulled out the cork. It let off a nasty smell that stung her nose, but all she cared about was stuffing the paper inside. Stuffing the cork back in, she ran to the balcony before one of the creatures created a hole big enough to crawl through.

Not wasting a single second, she held out the bottle and dropped it into the lake below. Then the black bird landed on the railing in front of her. It screeched as it jumped on her and pinned her to the floor. The creatures soon came after and gathered around. She squinted and closed her eyes, praying that someone, anyone would find her message.


End file.
